There are various reasons why you may need to remove a tile floor at home, whether you are doing larger repairs or simply want a change of scenery.
Whatever the reason may be, it is a good idea to learn how to properly remove tile floors, so you do not cause any damage to your home or yourself. In this guide, we are going to be sharing how to remove a tile floor yourself with a step-by-step process.
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How Much Does It Cost To Remove Tile Flooring?
Many factors can contribute to the cost of removing a tile floor, such as the size of the room you are working in and whether you are doing the work yourself or hiring a contractor.
It is always going to cost more to hire a professional because you are not only paying for the work to be done but also the labor on top. If you choose to do it yourself, you only have to pay for the materials.
As it is fairly easy to pull tiles up, this is something you can DIY, but you need to be aware of how time-consuming this task will be. It is also physically demanding work, so this is something you need to be able to handle before starting it yourself.
What You Need For Tile Removal
There are plenty of tools out there that you can use when removing a tile floor, with options for power tools and manual tools depending on your skillset.
Depending on the size of the room you will be working in and the kind of tiles you are removing, which determines the difficulty of the task, you may need additional tools. But as a starting guide, these are always needed for this kind of work, so gather them now:
- Hammer
- Pry Bar
- Long-handled floor scraper
- Chisel or Air Hammer with chisel set
- Screwdriver
- Shop-Vac
- Shovel
- Buckets
- Tarps and/or plastic wrap
- Painters tape
Along with these manual tools, it is important to consider safety gear such as goggles and gloves.
How To Remove A Tile Floor
- Prepare The Area
Before you can start digging up the tiles, you need to get the room ready first. This includes:
- Removing freestanding items
- Take off any baseboard trim around the room
- Seal the vents in the room to prevent them from becoming clogged with dust
- Cover whatever cannot be removed from the room
The more space that you can create in the room you are working in the better. This means, even if it takes a bit more effort, try to get rid of everything from the room you are working in first.
- Create A Starting Point
A good starting point is where there is already a missing tile. For example, you may have a blank space where the vanity used to sit, so this is a good place to get started, and it will make your work a little bit easier.
If there are no missing tiles, try to find a damaged or cracked tile to mark your starting point.
Even if you do not have these starting points marked out for you, the work cannot be delayed, so you will just have to create your own marker. A good place to start is the corner of a room or in the doorway if the tile does not continue into the next room.
- Start Removing Tile
Now that you have a starting point, there is no use delaying the work. It is time to start removing the tiles from the floor.
You should do this by:
- Break apart the first few tiles in your starting point using the chisel and hammer
- Remove all broken parts and place them out of the way in a bucket. You will not be able to get every piece of broken tile along the way, but collecting the bigger pieces as you see them will keep your work site safe
- Inspect the underlayer of the floor once the tile has been removed to ensure there is no damage, as this will need to be addressed before new flooring can be added
- The pry bar can be used to pull up stubborn tiles
Removing tiles is a tough and time-consuming job, so make sure to go at your own pace and clean as you go to prevent injury.
- Continue Removing Old Tiles
Removing tiles is not a complicated task, but it is a time-consuming and physically demanding job, so this is where the bulk of the work will take place.
Once you have removed enough tiles from your starting point, you should be able to use the long-handled scraper or air hammer (from the chisel set) to lift the tiles away. However, if this is not possible, you can continue using the crowbar.
Some tiles will be more stubborn than others, so take care when removing them.
- Inspect The Underlayment
Now that you have removed all the tiles, it is time to see what is underneath.
In most cases, there will be an underlayment, but the tiles may have been applied directly to concrete or wood flooring, depending on where you are working in the home.
Regardless, it would be best if you took some time to assess the quality and whether it is suitable for a new flooring layer.
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